Naruto Phenex: Rise of the Phoenix King
by Rave Rose of Twilight
Summary: Naruto Phenex, the youngest child of Lord and Lady Phenex, has become old enough to obtain his Evil Piece set. However, with a dark puppeteer hiding in the background, manipulating current events to suit his own desires, Naruto will have to find strength in friends and allies, growing his Peerage with unique individuals. Read as he struggles to combat the darkness or falls to it.


**Naruto Phenex: Rise of the Phoenix King**

 **Written By: Rave Rose of Twilight**

 **Warning: I don't own anything in this fiction.**

Chapter One: Birth of a New Flame: Legend of the Phoenix King

He sat in the living room. In front of him was a strange chess set with glowing crimson pieces, though some of them looked and felt a bit odd compared to the others. On the love seat sat his aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Phenex. They were looking at him with pride. Naruto Phenex had been born with incredible potential. His Fire was incredibly powerful, though that was nothing compared to his control over Wind. When he was able to learn how to harness his power, even the simplest Fire Magic and Wind Magic turned into a powerful attack capable of tearing apart the training dummies with ease. Last week, on his eighth birthday, he'd been brought to the Laboratory of Ajuka Beelzebub to get his Evil Piece set. His set had been rather unique. His [Queen], two [Pawns], a single [Knight], and a [Bishop] were all mutated. Most were lucky to get even one Mutated Piece, but five?! It was a rare event in and of itself.

As he looked at the pieces that were laid out on the board, he knew that his Peerage would turn out to be incredibly powerful. "So, Naruto," said Lady Phenex with a small smile. "Do you know who you want to recruit first? I'm sure there are many Devils who would be willing to join your Peerage if you simply asked them."

Naruto's bright blue eyes closed. It was true. There were many Devils who would be more than willing to join his Peerage. Already, he'd started receiving notices and proposals from noble families asking that he allow their daughters or sons to join his Peerage. But he paid them no mind. He wasn't interested in them. Not because they were weak. On the contrary, many of them were powerful and their daughters and sons likely inherited that strength. No. The reason he ignored them was because he wasn't interested in starting his Peerage just yet. For a while, he simply wanted to relax and have fun. Be a kid for a while longer.

"No, Auntie," he said with a soft smile. "I don't want to start looking for my Peerage just yet. Lord Beelzebub said that as I got stronger, I'd be able to bring stronger people into my Peerage, right?" Lord Phenex hesitantly nodded. "Then I'll just keep training. Maybe if I get strong enough, I'll be able to get really powerful people to join my Peerage. Then we'll be able to beat anyone in a Rating Game! Even Cousin Ruval!"

Lord Phenex chuckled. Naruto grew up practically idolizing his cousin, their eldest son, Ruval. He would watch each and every one of his Rating Games and cheered the rumored Ultimate-class Phenex and his Peerage as they fought against some of the toughest opponents imaginable. It became a goal of his to have a team just as strong as Ruval's and compete in Rating Games.

"I have no doubt that you'll become just as strong as Ruval, Naruto," Lord Phenex answered. "Just have fun and make good friends. You're still a child, after all. No need to grow up too fast."

Naruto smiled and nodded before remembering something. "Oh," he said excitedly. "Can I go hang out with Diane this afternoon?!"

Lord Phenex looked to his wife, who nodded in agreement. "Alright," he replied. "Go ahead, but don't forget to be back by 5 o'clock at the latest. One of the maids said she was going to make your favorite Ramen for dinner and needs you to help her."

Naruto nodded enthusiastically before running out of the Phenex Estates and into the Underworld. "Are you sure about this, Lucian," Lady Phenex asked cautiously. "Maybe we should send one of the servants to watch over him."

"Nonsense," Lucian Phenex answered with a confident smile. "Naruto is my brother's son and Diane is a member of the Giant Clan. They've been friends for years now. If anyone is foolish enough to do anything against them, I might actually feel sorry for what terrible things might happen to them."

Naruto ran outside of the city limits and spotted a giant woman with brown pig tails sitting by a cliff. She wore a short-sleeved one-piece orange leotard-looking suit, boots with five crossed laces that extend almost up to her knees, and two finger-less gauntlets of a blue-grey leathery material covered in shiny steel studs. His smile was brilliant as he shot a blast of fire up in the air. "Hey, Diane," he shouted, his voice carrying easily enough, causing the lone giant's purple eyes to brighten and a smile crossed her lips as she turned toward her friend. "Wanna play?!"

She waved at him before her body began to shrink down. She went from 30-feet tall to 5 feet 5 inches tall. She ran over to Naruto with a speed many would not believe would suit a member of the Giant Clan before embracing her best, and only, friend in the world. Her cheeks tinted pink and a warmth entered her heart whenever she and Naruto played together. For the longest time, all she had was her Clan. Until she met Naruto, who had just happened upon a cliff she enjoyed spending time around after her training with Matrona. While she disliked the warrior training Matrona had put her through, it wasn't until she had met Naruto that she found a reason to train. Matrona noticed the change in Diane and occasionally spied on her interactions with the young Phenex. Diane initially wanted to live a peaceful life, but it became obvious to the Warrior Giant that Diane also wanted to be able to protect her very first friend.

To that extent, she silently thanked the Phenex Devil child for befriending Diane. The two played whenever they could get together. After the first time, Naruto told Diane that he had to go home. Diane, wishing to never be alone again, asked Naruto to come play with her the next day, but instead, he promised that he'd come play with her every day.

Matrona sat inside of a massive tree, watching through the branches as the two children played together. Hide and seek. House. Doctor. She had to stifle a laugh when Diane had wrapped his legs together in bandages, claiming that they were both broken after he 'fell trying to fly through a storm'. Naruto easily burned away the bandages, his immunity to Fire blessing him by preventing him from getting burned himself.

It was an enjoyable scene, in her mind. That Naruto had befriended Diane without ulterior motives for such an act warmed her heart and made her hope that not all devils were selfish and conniving. Who only did things if it gave them more power. But she couldn't and wouldn't reconsider her views on most Devils simply by the actions of one child. She'd met far too many Devils who thirsted for power and tried to gain it using any means necessary.

As she watched over the young Phenex and Diane playing together, she noticed a few people dressed in strange attire approaching them. Matrona kept her gaze on them, ready to intervene if something happened. With Gideon, the War Hammer that belonged to the Giant Clan's Warrior Tribe, on her back, if push came to shove, she would fight to protect them. However, Naruto seemed to sense something was amiss and paused. His blue eyes that radiated so much innocence almost seemed to harden as he turned to see the small group approach them. Diane also took notice of Naruto's change in demeanor and followed his gaze.

"This is Giant Clan territory," Diane announced boldly, her body slowly tensing in preparation for a fight. "Leave this place now before our warriors end your lives!"

However, that did not seem to deter the group as they picked up the pace. Their black cloaks billowing in the wind as they charged the two. "Death to the Phenex," one of them shouted, brandishing a silver sword.

Naruto raised his hand and launched a powerful torrent of flames from his palm, making a wall of fire between them and the attackers. He was in full fight mode as was Diane. Assassins?! And they were foolish enough to barge into the territory of the Giant Clan?! Either they were suicidal or a member of the Giant Clan allowed them to enter the territory. Either way, none of these people were going to make it out alive.

Diane raised her gauntlet-covered fist and slammed it into the ground, sending a shockwave of earth toward the wall of fire. As the first assassin crossed through the flames, a spear of earth had pierced through his chest, creating a large gaping hole that killed him instantly.

Through the flames came a blast of water aimed directly at Naruto, but rather than panic, he punched the air in front of him. "Gale Wind Palm," he shouted as the blast of wind acted like a moving wall, causing the water to splash off harmlessly while continuing toward its destination and slamming into the caster, sending them flying backward a few meters. Unfortunately, he was caught off guard when a sword sliced through his right arm at the elbow. Thankfully, Diane slaughtered the man who harmed her friend with a giant metal fist to the face. The arm dissolved into flames while he regenerated a new one in record time.

He took a deep breath, looking around for any more people. He spotted one and released his breath, flames slipping out from between his lips. "Phoenix Flower!" Several spheres of fire spat out from his mouth, aimed at the mobile assassin, who used his sword to deflect most of the projectiles as he tried to get closer. However, the assassin had his eyes trained on his target's face. He didn't notice the flames slowly spilling from Naruto's hand until he got too close. "Burning Touch!"

Superheated fire spread through his palm, his fingers digging into his flesh like a hot knife, before erupting directly inside of his body. If one didn't know better, they would have said that he had spontaneously combust. His charred black corpse fell to the ground with a lifeless and hollow thud. His blood had evaporated from the intense heat and all that remained was his scorched flesh and burned bones which, after hitting the ground, turned into ash and floated away with a quick breeze.

One was left. They were shaking, holding the sword defensively as Naruto approached them. They tried to cut him, but he flicked his wrist and the sword left her hand. He pulled back the cloak and was surprised to see Maxwell, a servant of his family, looking at him in fear. His blue eyes softened. The man had taken care of him as a child. He'd been reincarnated shortly before he was born after he'd made a contract with his father. His parents and even his siblings, save for maybe Riser, had treated him with nothing but respect and as a member of their family.

"Maxwell," he asked in a soft, quiet tone. "Why would you betray us like this?"

"Young Master," he stuttered in a mix of reverence and slight fear before turning his head away in shame. "I...we...didn't have much of a choice. I didn't wish to do this, but my daughter..."

"What happened, Maxwell," he asked urgently. "Please tell me."

"...If I do, my daughter will die," he said sadly. "And I can't allow that to happen, Young Master."

"Mother and father will protect Akira, Maxwell," he said, trying to convince the man to tell him what had caused him to turn against his family. "But I can't promise the same for you if you don't tell me what happened? Who's threatening you and Akira?"

Maxwell hesitated, mulling things over in his mind before sighing in resignation. He dug into his black robes before handing Naruto a scroll with a wax seal he didn't recognize. "I'm afraid that's all I can do," he said. "Now I ask you...please...kill me."

"But..."

"If I failed to kill you, Young Master, I was going to die either at your hands or at the hands of the one behind this," he explained. "Either way, this is my last day. So please. Kill me."

Naruto closed his eyes and heated his flames beyond what he did during training. He took his glowing white hand and touched Maxwell's face. His immunity to flames, a gift granted by becoming a servant of the Phenex, prevented him from feeling the burning sensation. And in a single burst of fire, the man's head exploded like a watermelon after it had been stricken by a hammer. It was painless and quick. The way it should always be.

The body fell to the ground while Naruto fell back into the waiting arms of Diane. She saw the look of betrayal and sadness that entered his eyes when he unveiled the last assassin. "You did well, Naruto Phenex," Matrona said as she hopped down from the tree. "As did you, Diane."

Naruto clenched the scroll in his hand. Whoever threatened Maxwell and forced him to betray the Phenex family had to be powerful. Maybe even more terrifyingly powerful than his parents or Ruval. "Diane," he said through his sorrow. He only killed to protect himself and Diane. But Maxwell...Maxwell was just a pawn in someones scheme. He didn't deserve to die.

"Yes, Naruto," she said as she held him close to her.

"Will you join my Peerage," he asked, causing her to gasp. "I got my set a few weeks ago, but I didn't want to start gathering members so soon. I just...wanted to be a kid for a bit longer. But now I see that my family is in danger and I'm going to need as many friends as I can if I'm going to protect them."

Diane looked to Matrona, who had a small smile on her face. While Matrona wasn't very accepting of Devils, she knew, as did Diane, that Naruto was different from most. "Of course I will," she said. "You're my friend! I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't try to help you in times like these."

"I suppose I'll go report things back to the Matriarch, then," Matrona said as she turned her back to Diane and Naruto. "They'll want to know and I'm sure they'll increase the amount of patrols in case this happens again. And Naruto."

"Yes, ma'am," Naruto answered with a straight face.

"Please take care of Diane," Matrona said, not showing her teary smile to the pair. "She means a lot to me and I'd hate to see my faith misplaced."

Naruto grinned and nodded. "Of course," he answered. "What are friends for?"

The trio departed the territory and at the Phenex household, Naruto had reincarnated her as one of his two [Rooks]. When his parents found out, they congratulated him on finally starting his Peerage...until he told them about Maxwell's forced betrayal of his family. He refused to leave anything out. It wouldn't do the butler's memory justice to hold back anything.

His father looked upset and somewhat depressed that a good friend had been forced into such a position. His mother had stated that she would take care of Maxwell's daughter, having her join her Peerage as a [Pawn] as a means of trying to protect her, as well as offered to tell her part of the truth concerning Maxwell. It was the right thing to do. However, what worried them was a matter of just who had caused their dearest butler to betray them. He had to be powerful, have strong connections, or maybe both if he was able to get someone so loyal under his or her thumb. And since Maxwell was so loyal, how many of their other servants had been blackmailed or converted to this mysterious man's side? Somehow, they would have to clean house, ensuring the loyalty of their servants and destroy those who would betray them, before they felt even remotely comfortable again.

The following months, Lord and Lady Phenex spent doing some subtle investigating into their servants and ended up being forced to kill two others who they discovered were plotting against them in collusion with Mathias and the strange person who managed to turn their allegiances toward them.

In the meantime, Naruto had been training with Diane in order to allow her to properly adjust to her new abilities and the increase in power of her strength. Unknown to many, members of the Giant Clan had a unique power known as [Creation] that allowed them to manipulate the very earth beneath their feet to their will. With further training, Giants could learn to manipulate sand, metal, and the minerals to perform various techniques taught to them. However, as his [Rook], Diane also got the ability to use Fire Magic and Fire Manipulation just like a pureblood Phenex. Because of this, Naruto wanted to help her learn how to combine her [Creation] alongside Fire Manipulation in order to create some new techniques. She created a pair of stone golems so that the two of them had a long-lasting target for their new techniques, though if they did end up breaking, she could just as easily recreate them within seconds.

While not a [Bishop] or [Queen] who would naturally have higher Magic Power, because of her [Creation], which combined her absolutely monstrous strength with her Magic to manipulate the terrain, she had higher than average Magic potential for a [Rook].

"I don't get it, Naruto-kun," Diane said. She'd been trying just raw fire manipulation for the past half hour with no defining results. "What am I doing wrong?"

"You're not doing anything wrong, Diane-chan," he said from his perch on her shoulder. The two had gone out to an isolated area in Phenex Territory to practice. Diane had chosen to take on her Giant Form which easily placed her at 30 feet tall. In her Human Form, she was only 5 foot 5 inches tall, which was fairly average for women. Naruto placed his hand to his chin before an idea popped into his head. "I'm just teaching you wrong! I'm teaching you how I learned to use my fire and you're not a Phenex by blood! Okay. Let's try this a different way. Try to think of something warm. Something that builds a heat within your chest."

Diane didn't have to think long. Images of Naruto and her playing together came to mind and a small blush adorned her cheeks. "Once you have that thought, enhance it. Make it burn hotter...brighter." Again. It wasn't difficult. Naruto was her very first friend outside of the Giant Clan. She cherished his friendship, but there was something more that she wanted. The fire within her heart blossomed into an unstoppable torrent. The though of losing Naruto made the fire burn hotter. If the assassin had managed to kill him...

"Now...release it. Let it flow through you and project it toward your golem!"

Diane's fists ignited with her fire and a powerful torrent flew toward the waiting golem, engulfing it entirely. Her passion for Naruto and her rage at the thought of losing him made the fires burn brighter and hotter than Naruto imagined they could ever be, though he didn't know why they were so intense. The heat didn't bother him though. He was a Phenex. No manner of fire could harm him save maybe for blessed or holy flames from the higher echelons of Angels or Gods and Goddesses like Amaterasu of the Shinto Pantheon.

He smiled and embraced her neck, causing her flames to stop and a smile appear on her lips. "That was awesome, Diane-chan," he announced excitedly. "Next time, let's work on using it in conjunction with your [Creation]!"

Diane smiled before shrinking down. Naruto floated down to stand beside her before he found himself wrapped up in a strong hug that Naruto returned before the two retreated back to the Phenex's grand mansion.

Meanwhile...

"Sir, it appears as though the assassins have failed and the moles within the Phenex Household were eliminated," a shadowy figure stated from behind a large, ornate throne.

"I know," the strange man said, though the figure could just feel the smirk on his face. "If the Phenex weren't strong enough to fend off a few measly assassins, then they deserve to die. But because they have lived, they'll need to reevaluate their position in the 72 Pillars. With only three sons and a daughter, they'll need to consider the future of their family. Ruval is considered a Super Devil, but nobody has seen him recently. With a few subtle suggestions here and there, we might be able to push them into a marriage proposal with the sister of Lucifer. Maybe have their other son enter a marriage contract with the sister of Leviathan. With enough luck, we can use them to gain control over the Four Great Satans and use them to control the 72 Pillars."

"I see," the figure said. "What would you have me do, milord?"

"Keep an eye and an ear out for the rest of our moles," he said. "We might have been able to afford the loss of a small group, but if we lose any more across the whole of the 72 Pillars, our information network will be significantly blinded and I can't afford that to happen."

The figure bowed low. "As you wish, milord." His words hung in the air as he seemingly vanished from view.

"This will be the greatest game of chess ever played and when I'm done, the entire board will be eradicated."


End file.
